War before love
by Mysconesarestones
Summary: Mathias is heartless and the cruelest man alive. That is, until he meets the ruler of Norway. She steals his heart but what kind of a relationship can you have while your kingdoms are at war? ((Dark!Denmark and Fem!Norway rated T for violence and a few Romano-esque words))
1. Chapter 1

((A.N. Ok so this is Dark!Denmark and these are the names/ages in this chapter:

Denmark - Mathias Kohler - 20

Fem!Norway - Lucia Bondevik - 19

Iceland - Emil Bondevik (Yes I know his name is Steilson but for the sake of the story...) - 15 ))

Mathias sauntered into the room, black cloak billowing behind him and axe in hand. He sat down on his regal throne and motioned for the guards to start letting in prisoners. Every other Friday, the prisoners would be brought into the dark, ivy covered castle and judged for their misdoings. There had been more prisoners than ever now that Denmark was at war with Norway and took many prisoners of war. Needless to say, many didn't make it back out. Mathias had a predatory grin on as he polished his axe. The first prisoner came in. He was a young boy of about 19. He had dirty, blonde hair and dull, blue eyes with deep circles under them. "State your name and wrong doing!" Mathias half yelled. "A-Alfred F. Jones. I-I am a thief..." The boy stuttered, looking down at his feet. "Speak up boy! And look at your king when he is speaking to you!" Mathias said, yelling now. The boy shrank back a bit but looked up with scared eyes. "M-my name is Alfred F. Jones. I-I am a thief." Alfred's voice was clearer but shook in fear; he knew what was coming. "What did you steal?!"

"J-Just bread sir!"

"WHY?"

"M-my family is going hungry and I couldn't pay because of the heavy taxes."

"ARE YOU SAYING THIS IS MY FAULT?!" The king roared, standing up. "N-no-" Before Alfred could defend himself; Mathias had swung his axe and cleanly cut the young boy's head from his body. The king snarled. "No one. _No one _blames me. GAURDS!" he yelled. The guards quickly hurried over to clean up the splattered blood and dispose of the corpse, quite used to this procedure. "Next prisoner!" Mathias yelled. The next prisoner had short, icey-grey hair and dark purple eyes. "State your name and wrong doing!" "My name is Adam Bondevik and I have done nothing wrong. I am a prisoner of war." Adam replied in an Icelandic accent. A cold, predatory smirk grew on Mathias's face. "Are you now? Are you prepared to tell us your nation's secrets?" He asked. The scrawny man snarled at the king. "Helveti nei!" Mathias narrowed his eyes. "Then we'll do this the hard way. GUARDS!" The guards hurried over and dragged Adam away, kicking and screaming. "I WILL NEVER TELL YOU ANYTHING!" sure, sure… "I'm done with the rest of the prisoners for today!" He yelled at one of the guards, who quickly left the room in order to usher the prisoners back to the dungeons.

Mathias stood from his chair, hearing tortured screams coming from the other room where Adam was with the guards. As the king walked toward the room, he thought about the man. Adam was his name? But what he said earlier… 'helveti nei' was definitely Icelandic. But Adam is a name that no Nordic family would give their son. He knew that the ruler of Norway's last name was Bondevik and that she had a brother but his name definitely wouldn't be Adam. Could it be…? No… Mathias shook off the thought as another choked scream came from the torture chamber. "I'LL NEVER TALK YOU GAURINN!" Adam yelled. Mathias came into the torture room and took in the now very bloody sight of Adam, tied to a chair and shirtless. The torture guards were holding whips that were stained crimson red. He knelt down by the heavily bleeding man so that they were the same height. "You can tell us your nation's secrets now, or continue this until your dead. You're choice." Mathias said with a cruel look. Adam gave him a look of hatred as the gatekeeper ran in and announced that the ruler of Norway was in the castle and demanded to talk. Mathias nodded, standing up and leaving the room. "Continue until he decides to talk." He told the guards over his shoulder before leaving to go to the throne room again. Mathias sat down, holding his axe and told the gate keeper to let her in. They were in war with Norway and he had been expecting their ruler to come by any day. A girl walked into the throne room. Mathias instantly knew that she was a ruler by the way she carried herself; she demanded respect. She had waist length icey-grey, silvery hair with a silver cross pin holding some back, blue eyes and was average height. Her dress was floor length, long-sleeved, navy blue and made of a heavy, velvet fabric that was meant to keep you warm in the long Scandinavian winters. Mathias felt his heart flutter. They may be rivals but… "Mathias KØhler, I am Lucia Bondevik, the ruler of Norway. I am here for my brother." Mathias's thoughts instantly went to Adam. He knew it… Oh god… Adam was still in the torture room. Mathias instantly stood up and walked to the Torture room, leaving Lucia in the throne room. He could hear pained screams coming down the hallway and ran into the room. "STOP!" The guards instantly stopped at hearing their king and Adam gave a choked noise, slumping forward against the ropes holding him and looking down at the ground. "Get him cleaned up then bring him to the throne room. Treat him well." The guards used a bit confused but nodded. They untied him as Mathias hurried back to the throne room. "*Jeg undskylder for keeping you waiting. Adam will be here momentarily. However…" Mathias told her, sitting back down on his throne. "…Why should I give him to you?" "What are you talking about? My brother's name is Emil." Lucia replied, her expression emotionless. 'So he _did_ lie.' Mathias thought. "You're brother… does he have short hair in your color and purple eyes?" "Yes. And his name is _Emil _not Adam." She replied, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear and crossing her arms. 'There was something about her…' Mathias thought. 'Maybe it was her regal air, or the way she demanded power. But after what he had done to her brother… ' NO. They were at war. He needed to put aside his feelings. "So Lucia. I wish to install a peace treaty and end this war." Lucia remained expressionless, contemplating it. Just then, the guards led in a half-conscious Emil, now dressed and the blood cleaned off him. Lucia turned at hearing them come in and her eyes widened. "What...What did you do to him?!" She yelled, her previously emotionless face now showing anger and protectiveness toward her brother. Lucia hurried toward her brother, easily picking him up even though he was about fifteen and she was around nineteen. "You can forget your damn treaty. Consider this war just starting…" She hissed, leaving the room.

* * *

Helveti nei – Hell no (Icelandic)

Gaurinn – Bastard (Icelandic)

Jeg undskylder – I apologize (Danish)


	2. Chapter 2

It had been nearly a month since the incident with Lucia and her brother. A long, hard month full of war and death. Mathias had sent many soldiers to Norway and Lucia had done likewise to Denmark. The war wasn't even over anything truly important. Mathias had sent soldiers into a small town in Norway in order to get more land for Denmark but that had sparked the huge war... Lucia had immediately sent soldiers to meet them but had to pull back when the Danish army overpowered them and took prisoners. Ada-no. Emil had been among them. The war had been hard on Denmark and no doubtedly Norway too. But now, as Mathias stepped off his ship onto the Norwegian soil, into a market it seemed to be, the people were nowhere near like those of the Danish. All the people seemed cheerful, were chattering happily and no one looked like they were having trouble paying for their food. It felt... Unnatural to see the citizens so happy. Everyone seemed fine even though it was around 20°F (-6°C) and snowing. The whole town seemed to glow. Mathias couldn't help but remember how his own market looked when he passed through it, on the way to the ship that would bring him here. There weren't many people outside and the few that were looked miserable. They were thin, in rags and having to haggle over prices. The citizens here were cheerful and dressed warmly for the beginning of the freezing, Scandinavian winter.

Mathias shook it off and walked up to the castle that was just as big as Mathias's but didn't seem so looming; it felt welcoming even. A lady came out and smiled, waving good bye at the guards before heading toward the market. The guard smiled a bit and gave a curt nod as a goodbye. Mathias went up to the doors, axe in hand, and demanded to see the queen. "I am the King of Denmark. Do _not _deny me." He growled, tightening his grip on the large axe as he was denied access by the guard. The armored guard narrowed his eyes. "What is your business with the queen?" The tall Norwegian asked, hand edging toward the sword hanging from his side. "My business is a matter of war; a treaty if you must know. And if you so much as _think _about using that sword, so help me, I will end you." Mathias threatened, narrowing his eyes to match the guards. The other man's hand dropped back to his side but he remain expressionless other that his narrowed eyes. Another guard came outside from the castle and told the frowning guard to admit Mathias. He begrudgingly did and Mathias followed the other man into the castle.

They went down a large hallway and entered a medium-sized room with a few shelves that held weapons, mostly swords. There was yet another guard who asked Mathias for his axe, only making the Dane tighten his grip on the weapon. "Why should I?" He challenged. "Because you could be a threat to the queen." The guard replied, not changing his emotionless expression. It took a few minutes of arguing but eventually, after handing over the weapon, Mathias was allowed inside the connected bigger room. He briefly took in the throne room. It was a huge room with large windows, showing the wintry atmosphere outside in the village. There were gold colored curtains with intricate needlework that were pulled back. The room had a fire going in the fireplace, warming it. It wasn't unlike Mathias's throne room except here, the floor didn't have faint blood outlines where the crimson liquid hadn't been cleaned in time. The room didn't feel ominous either. Mathias attempted to clear his thoughts and took the rolled up treaty out of a pocket in his cloak. He held it up to Lucia, who was sitting on her throne with a stoic expression. She took it and unrolled the paper, scrutinizing it before looking back at Mathias. "I believe that I gave you my answer last time. " She said coldly. "Yes, I realize that. However, I do believe that for the good of our nations-" "My nation is doing just fine, thank you." She interrupted him. "We are flourishing, if anything." Mathias knew this was true and agreed however, he would never say this. "Your country may be suffering but this but that is solely your fault. You decided to invade my country and you will suffer the consequences. I might have signed that treaty earlier but you can forget it after what you did to Emil." "He was a prisoner of war! You would have done the sam-" "Don't you _dare _say that I would have done the same." She interrupted again, her tone deadly. "Mathias, you are a cruel man. After seeing what you've done to your country, I feel terrible for your people. They all looked so desolate and scared when I came a month ago. I know this isn't simply part of war because I have visited Danmark many times with my parents while you were at war. It was a beautiful place when your parents were ruling." Mathias had been told things like this many times, but there was something about the way she said it… Maybe it was simply because it was her saying it that made him feel incredibly guilty. Especially when she mentioned his parents.

Mathias wasn't technically supposed to be the ruler right now. He was third in line after his brother and sister. However, about four years ago, he had come into the throne room where his parents were with his axe in hand and demanded to be next in line rather than wait for his brother to rule and die, and then his sister to do the same. There was a long argument in which Mathias was denied. In a fit of anger, he sliced his parents heads clean off and went after his siblings. Before he could reach them, they were notified and hid. "You killed and ran off your own family so that you could become the heartless ruler you are now. You're nation had been prospering, I remember. You weren't always like this, judging by how your mother spoke of you…" Although Mathias and Lucia had not met each other before this war, they had been to each other's nations many times as children. This stopped when Mathias killed his parents and Lucia's parents died of a disease that had swept across and killed many people in Scandinavia. They had met each other's parents although never each other. Lucia was a quiet, reserved child and preferred to stay inside to discuss royal matters with the adults. Mathias was a sweet, cheerful child; always too busy in the forest hunting, climbing trees and sparring with village children. He had been nothing like what he was today. That was what power would do to people. It could take the sweetest people and change them horribly; turn them into monsters. Lucia stood from her throne and walked over to Mathias, holding out the treaty. "I'm sorry, but you chose to start this war and now you must end it."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

That night on the ship heading back to Denmark, Mathias tossed and turned. For some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about Lucia. Mainly, he couldn't stop thinking about how she had made him feel guilty. Before this day, he hadn't felt anything toward the matter of his parent's death; not pride but not guilt and suddenly, he felt horrible about it. What was it about Lucia? She was awfully pretty with her silvery hair and he had to admit that it was sweet how protective she was of her brother. Mathias didn't like her brother because of how he was the reason that she wouldn't sign the treaty now but still… Was he… falling in _love?_ NO. no no no no no! They were in the middle of a war! And she hated him anyway… He couldn't be having these thoughts. Maybe after the war was ove- NO. STOP IT. "Stop thinking about her!" Mathias mentally snapped. "You are at war and war _always _comes before love."


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N. **I'm so sorry this took so long T-T I've been busy with school and basically just write in my notebook but then don't have time to transfer into the computer… Anyway, here you go! Chapter three finally up!

As Mathias stepped off the boat, he realized how truly drastic the change between the nations was. The cruel ruler walked down through the market, glancing around.

Was it always this empty? There were only a few stalls open and they held meager supplies; a few loaves of bread, a few apples that would be going bad any day now… Mathias never realized, but his country was doing truly… awful.

There were a few people outside but most were in their homes, as it was snowing and the weather was difficult to be cheerful even for the optimistic.

Maybe if the houses were more than thin-walled shacks then the people wouldn't be dying of cold? Maybe if they were on better terms with the nations that were prospering then there would be more food imported and the people wouldn't be dying from starvation?

Mathias mused over this as he walked up to the looming castle. There were prisoners lined up outside the castle; some desolate, some terrified and some that looked unwilling to show emotion but you could see the fear in their eyes.

Mathias had a quick flashback to the cheerful lady coming out of the Norwegian castle but quickly shook it off. That's right, it was Friday. Also known as prisoner execution judgment day.

Various times from the visit to Norway kept flashing through his head. Especially how Lucia had spoken to him and _why _couldn't he get her out of his head?!

Mathias went up to the castle as the guards asked him if he was ready for the prisoners to start coming in. He stopped walking suddenly. "Sir? Are you alright?" The guard said nervously.

Lucia's words echoed in his head. "I-I'm fine…" Mathias shook his head to clear the thoughts that he couldn't seem to get away from today.

Toris, the guard, looked concerned but nervous as everyone was around Mathias due to the fondness he had for using his axe on unsuspecting people.

"Toris, send the prisoners in." Mathias pushed aside his own strange feelings and went into the throne room. Mathias sat down on his throne, trying to ignore the guilt billowing in his stomach. The first prisoner came in.

"State your name and wrong doing." Mathias said, for once not yelling the phrase.

"Arthur Kirkland. I have stolen from the market." The blonde said, looking u with fear but challenge in his green eyes. This one wasn't done fighting.

Mathias froze for a second, remembering Alfred. He tried to clear his thoughts for the millionth time that day as Arthur dared to speak up,

"I know you're going to kill me so why not just do it?!"

Mathias stared at him for a tension-filled minute before looking to the side at the guard. "Send all the prisoners in. Now."

The guard nodded and soon the, thankfully huge, room was filled with disconsolate, scared prisoners.

"How many of you are here because you stole from the market?" Most of the room shakily raised their hands. "All because you couldn't pay? The people who had raised their hands nodded.

"Why are the rest of you in prison?" Mathias looked to his left at a prisoner.

"I committed murder…" A man with incredibly pale hair and a strange eye color, was it red or a trick of the lighting? Oh well, Mathias didn't think much of it.

"Why?" Mathias asked, tone not as threatening as usual.

"I had to steal money from a family and they almost caught me so I took out my sword and…" Gilbert's eyes showed pain of someone who had been through too much. He looked to be about 19 and he had already killed a family so his own wouldn't starve…

Mathias glanced down at the floor then looked back up at the group. He was making innocent people kill… Hell, he had killed people by himself! Innocent people who were still young…

The room was dead silent for a minute before, for the first time ever, they were let go. The guards hesitated, not sure they had heard the cruel ruler correctly.

"Let them go. Everyone. I want the prisoners of war to come in though."

The guards quickly got over the shock and ushered the prisoners in.

The people captured in war were kept separate from the actual prisoners, especially the Norwegians. Mathias feared that they would give his native people ideas of freedom and uprising.

The foreigners were brought in. They were a mix of Norwegians, Swedes, Finns, Icelanders and a few various Europeans.

"I have come to a conclusion…" Mathias started, "…I will not let you go because you might give away my nations secrets that you have over heard, however, I will not kill you."

The people in the room glanced at each other, silent but you could tell that they all had a single question on the tip of their tongues, _'What? Who is this and what happened to the cruel man who killed for pleasure?'_

"Until the wars are over with your respective countries are over, you shall stay here in this village. You may marry, have jobs and all the other things ordinary citizen would. When it is time for you to leave, you have the choice to stay here and gain true citizenship or you may go to your home countries."

The men looked at each other in disbelief. What? The last time the prisoners of war were brought in, they were tortured till they died of gave information. Was this an imposter?

"You have gained these things starting now. There are empty homes and you will each be given one." Mathias felt a pang in his stomach as he remembered that these homes were empty because the families had died or been killed.

Most of the prisoners said their thanks, some in rough Danish or in their native tongue. Mathias gave a curt nod. "You're free to go."

The guards took the prisoners, citizens would be a more appropriate name for them now, away to their new lives, leaving Mathias alone with Toris. Mathias sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"You did the right thing." Toris said from his place next to the throne, a soft smile on his face.

Mathias couldn't help a slight smile. "It felt good."

Mathias was changing and he knew it. But why had it been Lucia that made him change? He couldn't be falling in love but… The way she had taken over his thoughts and stolen his heart… But they could never be together. _Get over yourself, you're a monster. No matter how much you change, the only thing she'll see is the horrible man who hurt her brother…_ Mathias told himself regretfully.


End file.
